Lifestyle Intervention in Reducing Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Students with Dyslipidemia and Abdominal Obesity: A Randomized Study

Abstract Background The long incubation periods of cardiovascular diseases offer opportunities for controlling risk factors. In addition, preventive interventions in childhood are more likely to succeed because lifestyle habits become ingrained as they are repeated. Objective To investigate the effects of recreational physical activities, in combination or not with a qualitative nutritional counseling, in cardiometabolic risk factors of students with dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity. Methods Students (8-14 years old) were randomly divided into three groups (n=23 each): i ) Control; ii ) PANC, students undergoing Physical Activity and Nutritional Counseling, and iii ) PA, students submitted to Physical Activity, only. Blood samples (12-h fasting) were collected for biochemical analysis and anthropometric markers were also assessed. Two-Way RM-ANOVA and Holm-Sidak's test, and Friedman ANOVA on Ranks and Dunn's test were applied. P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Effect sizes were evaluated by Hedges' g and Cliff's δ for normal and non-Gaussian data, respectively. Results Compared to the control group and to baseline values, both interventions caused significant average reductions in total cholesterol (11%; p <0.001), LDL-c (19%; p=0.002), and non-HDL-c (19%; p=0.003). Furthermore, students in the PANC group also experienced a significant decrease in body fat compared to baseline (p=0.005) and to control (5.2%; g=0.541). Conclusions The proposed strategies were effective to reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents. The low cost of these interventions allows the implementation of health care programs in schools to improve the students' quality of life.

Portador Heterozigoto Composto de Hipercolesterolemia Familiar Causada por Variantes no LDLR / Compound Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia Caused by LDLR Variants

Resumo A hipercolesterolemia familiar (HF) é uma doença genética causada por um defeito primário no gene que codifica o receptor da LDL. Mutações diferentes no mesmo gene caracterizam um heterozigoto composto, mas pouco se sabe sobre o fenótipo dos portadores. Portanto, neste estudo, descrevemos o rastreamento em cascata de uma família brasileira com essa característica. O caso-índice é um homem de 36 anos, com colesterol total (CT) de 360 mg/dL (9,3 mmol/L) e concentração de LDL-c de 259 mg/dL (6,7 mmol/L), além de xantomas de tendão de Aquiles, obesidade e pré-hipertensão. A genotipagem identificou as mutações 661G>A, 670G>A e 682G>A, no exon 4, e 919G>A, no exon 6. A mesma mutação no exon 4 foi observada no filho do caso-índice (7 anos), que também tem hipercolesterolemia e xantomas tendinosos, ao passo que a filha do caso-índice (9 anos) apresenta mutação no exon 6 e hiperlipidemia, sem xantomas. Em suma, este relato permite uma melhor compreensão acerca da base molecular da HF no Brasil, um país multirracial, onde é esperada uma população heterogênea.

Abstract Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease caused by a primary defect in the LDL-receptor gene. Distinct variants in the same gene characterize a compound heterozygote, but little is known about the phenotypes of the carriers. Therefore, herein, we describe the cascade screening of a Brazilian family with this characteristic. The index case, a 36-year-old male, had a total cholesterol level of 360 mg/dL (9.3 mmol/L) and LDL-c value of 259 mg/dL (6.7 mmol/L), in addition to Achilles tendon xanthomas, obesity and prehypertension. Genotyping identified the variants 661G>A, 670G>A, 682G>A in exon 4 and 919G>A in exon 6. The same variant in exon 4 was found in the index case's son (7-y), who also had hypercholesterolemia and xanthomas, while the index case's daughter (9-y) had the variant in exon 6 and hyperlipidemia, without xanthomas. In summary, this report allows for a better insight into the molecular basis of FH in Brazil, a multi-racial country where a heterogeneous population is expected.